Electronic unit, circuit design for the same, and production method

ABSTRACT

A method for the production of an encapsulated and at least partly organic electronic device wherein the device comprises a combination of three groups of different electronic units or components which may be separate discrete structures arranged to be produced independently from one another electrically conductively interconnected, the groups including inorganic units, passive units and active units or active components such as antennae, diodes (rectifier diodes and/or light-emitting diodes), some of which units may be organic, e.g., organic transistors, and so on, and forming a resulting optimized circuit. The components of the three groups of units forming the resulting circuit are combined on a one piece flexible substrate film which can also serve as an encapsulation layer for the device.

The invention relates to a novel concept for the production of anencapsulated and at least partly organic electronic unit. Said unitembodies a novel concept for the combination of different electroniccomponents to form an electronic unit, such as antennae, diodes(rectifier diodes and/or light-emitting diodes), transistors, etc. and acircuit, which is optimized for this purpose.

Electronic units such as, for example, radio frequency identification(RFID) tags, Sensor Arrays, photovoltaic cells and the like, which arebased on conventional silicon technology, are more well-established.

Said electronic units are employed, for example, as electronic bar codesfor consumer goods, as electronic watermarks, as electronic stamps, asbag tags and/or as tickets.

Such electronic units could be produced significantly cheaper, if theycould be built, at least in part, from components, which are based onorganic electronics (plastic electronics). However, this presentsseveral problems. At first, various components groups such as antennae,rectifiers and/or transponder chips have to be produced in verydifferent processes and then assembled and encapsulated.

Circuits for the new plastic electronic components, which are familiarfrom DE 100 43 204.2, for example, have been published thus far by Hart,C. M., De Leeuw, O. M. et al., Philips Res. Lab., ESSCIRC '98, ISBN2-86332-235-4, 1998) (see FIG. 1 in this regard), wherein onlymodulation transistor 4 and integrated circuit 5 are based on organicmaterials. Antenna 1, capacitor 2 and the silicon diode 3 are made frominorganic materials (conventional silicon technology). One OFET (organicfield-effect transistor) 4 is inserted after the rectifier diode 3.However, the problem with this embodiment is that modulation transistor4 can only switch a small portion of the electric power, since otherwisethe power supply for the integrated circuit 5 would collapse. Anotherproblem is that rectifier diode 3 utilizes only half of the furnishedelectric power to supply the RFID tag, since one diode can only rectifyone half-wave of the alternating current. The reason this is such aparticularly serious disadvantage is that the furnished power for anRFID tag, for example, is limited by law, and reducing by half thefurnished power substantially limits the working range and thus therange of application of the electronic units.

A typical electronic unit such as the RFID tag is comprised of severalcomponents such as, for example, antennae, capacitors, diodes(light-emitting diodes and/or rectifier diodes), possibly photovoltaiccells and at least an integrated circuit including transistors. Suchindividual components necessitate different production methods, sincethey require different materials and processing techniques. Producingtransistors, for example, calls for particular high-resolutiondeposition structuring techniques, which requires working with materialsthat can be relatively easily managed, whereas producing organic-baseddiodes and/or capacitors requires handling of difficult materials, whichin turn provides sufficient quality with far less costly structuring.Again, metal is generally used in the production of antennae, whichrequires completely different processing equipment and techniques.Producing at least partially organic (plastic) electronic units isrelatively complicated and has currently not yet been the subject ofpublications. However, solutions should be found for the necessarymarketability as a mass throw-away product, so that these many differentproduction steps can be handled as efficiently as possible.

The invention is therefore required to provide at least in part organicelectronic units and/or circuits, which through selection andconfiguration of the components allows for cost-effective production andencapsulation. The objective hereby is to optimize familiar circuitswith respect to power transfer and (charge) modulation and to realizeefficient mass production methods at the same time.

Following is the description of a solution on how this can be realized:a novel concept of combining components into one electronic unit, suchas antennae, diodes (rectifier diodes and/or light-emitting diodes),transistors, etc., and/or suitable optimization of the circuit design.

The subject matter of the invention concerns an organic electronicdevice comprising at least three groups of components:

-   -   One group of essentially inorganic units (e. g. antennae);    -   One group of passive, preferably, organic units; and    -   One group of active, preferably, organic units;        wherein        the group comprising passive units contains no active units or        no active components, wherein the group of active units        essentially contains organic field-effect transistors and        usually no passive units, wherein the three groups can be        produced independently from one another, wherein said units are        interconnected by electrically conductive tracks and contacts on        a flexible substrate and/or via a flexible encapsulation        substrate layer forming a circuit on the substrate, through        which circuit the electrically conductive tracks run between        passive and active units from one group to another.

A group is considered one or several unit(s) integrated on one substrate(or region thereof) and/or under one encapsulation, which can beproduced by procedural steps that can easily be combined in terms ofprocess and that are based on comparable conditions.

Moreover, the subject matter of the invention concerns a circuit for anelectronic unit that is at least partly based on organic functionalpolymers comprising the following components:

one antenna (1), one capacitor (2), one diode (3) and one modulationtransistor (4) in front of an integrated circuit (5), wherein twocapacitors (7, 8) and an additional diode (6) are switched in such a wayas to supply the integrated circuit (5) via a capacitor (7), andwherein, at the same time, one diode (6) prevents said modulationtransistor (4) from depriving said capacitor (7) with energy.

Lastly, the subject matter of the invention concerns a method to producean organic electronic unit, based on at least one inorganic unit(antenna), comprising one passive, preferably, organic-based and oneactive, preferably, organic-based unit, said antenna, said passive andactive units being pre-assembled separately, the circuit then beingassembled through simple electric contacts of the individual components.

In this context, a complete transponder such as, for example, an RFIDtag is considered an electronic unit, at any rate, a unit comprisingseveral components, wherein said component represents the smaller unit,but can definitely consist of a multitude of components such astransistors, capacitors, photovoltaic cells, etc.

Diodes (rectifier and/or light-emitting diode), couplers such as anoptocoupler, capacitors, resistors and/or the like are identified as“passive units.” An “active unit,” for example, refers to transistors,photovoltaic cells, sensors and/or the like. However, integrated activecircuits could also be comprised of passive units such as resistors.

Within the framework of the invention passive and/or active units arepreferably employed containing at least partly organic functionalpolymers (or electrically conductive or semiconducting organicmaterials, in general). For brevity's sake, such materials areidentified as “organic units,” although said units may well embodynon-organic parts, but at least one organic part, preferably, oneorganic functional polymer is embodied in one unit, which is referred tohere as “organic unit.”

The circuit is particularly advantageous for the employment of RFIDtags.

Antennae, for example, are utilized as units, which can be coils, forexample, either made from metal or metallic compounds such as, forexample, alloys, copper, aluminum and/or possibly also a metallic,organic functional polymer such as, for example, conductive silverand/or from organic material only, such as, for example, polyaniline,Pedot, Russ, or compounds thereof.

Antennae, such as the other units and/or components of the organicelectronic unit, are also arranged on a substrate and protected by anencapsulation, which may form the substrate at the same time, againstunwelcome environmental stress.

A flexible film (such as, for example, polyester) can be used as asubstrate, for example. If necessary, said film may have distinctlydifferent barrier properties against moisture and air, since the unitsare comprised in part of organic materials, which become unstable underthe influence of moisture and/or oxygen. Said barrier properties mayexist either through the film material itself, through additives in thefilm, through coating (such as, for example, silicates and/ormetal-coating) and/or also through several of the aforementionedindividual measures. The substrate film must be damage-resistant basedon the conditions imposed by the production steps (temperature,mechanical forces, processing media . . . ).

Appropriate components, such as, for example, integrated circuits,consisting of organic transistors, passive units, organic diodes(light-emitting diodes as well as rectifier diodes), organicphotovoltaic cells and similar components are arranged on the substrateand/or the encapsulation, preferably, flexible films. Moreover, acombination of organic and inorganic units is also possible (forexample, mostly metallic antennae combined with an organic transponderchip circuits).

In order to insulate the films electrically, one insulation layer isdeposited at least on the surface of the film (e.g. through methods suchas screening, spray coating, crawling, laminating of an additional,possibly, pre-punched film . . . ).

All individual components were equipped with electrically conductivecontacts. Two or more of these components were then interconnected byinterconnecting said electrical contacts, preferably with electricallyconductive glue or an electrically conductive adhesive.

By doing so, the required electrical hole contacts or strip tracks forthe hole contacts (Vias) can be placed at the same time, or subsequentlygenerated by opening the insulation layer, for example, by means of alaser. The vias can then be filled to make them conductible, forexample, through screening of conductive glue or through currentlessmetal-coating. Under the simplest of circumstances, only a thininsulating layer is chosen so that filling of the vias can be abandoned.

The components were again encapsulated preferably with a film having asimilar arrangement and similar characteristics as described for thesubstrate hereinabove. This can, for example, be carried out throughgluing or welding. It is preferred that the encapsulation is depositedgas-tight. If the individual components were encapsulated before beingassembled and contacted into a complete electronic unit, electricalconnections can be lead through from this encapsulation, e.g., for powersupply, signal transmission or for sensory purposes. Thus, anencapsulated unit with combined electronic components containing polymeris obtained. If the various components must be produced in differentprocesses or, if it is economically more beneficial, the variouscomponents may also be deposited separately on the substrate film and/oron the encapsulation film and combine them as described in the assemblyprocess hereinabove. Attention must be paid to the electricalinsulation, on the one hand, and to a defined through-hole connection,on the other hand.

The production process of the respective component or the electronicunit is optimized in that the two films (substrate and encapsulation)are equally employed for the arrangement of components in order torequire as few individual manufacturing steps for the completeproduction as possible.

Here, the term “organic material” or “organic functional polymer”comprises all sorts of organic, metallic-organic and/ororganic/inorganic synthetic materials (hybrids), in particular those,which are referred to, for example, as “plastics” in the Englishlanguage. It concerns all types of materials except semiconductors,which form classic diodes (germanium, silicon), and typical metallicconductors. Therefore, dogmatically speaking, there are no plans tolimit the use to organic carbon-containing materials, rather, the wideuse of, for example, silicon, is considered. Furthermore, the termshould not be subject to any limitations with respect to molecular size,in particular, limitations to polymer and/or oligomer materials, rather,the use of “small molecules” is also quite possible. The word component“polymer” in functional polymer is historic and insofar contains noinformation about the existence of actual polymer compounds.

Said circuit is particularly advantageous for RFID tags that are basedon organic material. As a result of the selection and configuration ofthe components on the units and the low number of different components,the circuit allows for cost-effective production and encapsulation.

The method for the production takes into consideration the fact that theindividual components of an electronic unit, such as capacitor andtransistor, for example, call for different manufacturing conditions andrequirements. That way, all components of one “kind” are combined on oneunit each, so that units can be produced in the shortest possibleproduction line. The units are then encapsulated and linked with oneanother on the substrate, either individually or combined. In doing so,a unit embodying organic-based components can still be assembled withconventional, that is, silicon-containing components.

In the following, the invention is described in detail based onindividual figures, which depict embodiments of the invention whencompared to prior art:

FIG. 1 depicts prior art familiar from publications by Hart, C. M.,Leeuw, D. M. et al., Philips Res. Lab., ESSCIRC '98, ISBN 2-86332-235-4,1998.

FIGS. 2 through 4 depict schematically different embodiments of thecircuit, FIG. 5 depicts the circuit from FIG. 4 divided into threecomponents, and FIGS. 6 and 7 depict options on how to produce thecircuit as complete electronic units.

FIG. 1 depicts a state-of-the-art circuit for an RFID tag. Onlytransistor 4 and the integrated circuit 5 of this circuit are made oforganic material. Antenna 1, capacitor 2 and silicon diode 3 consist ofinorganic material. Placing OFET 4 after rectifier diode 3 solves theproblem of inadequate circuit speed and the OFETs' unfitness foralternating current compared with conventional transistors due to theproperties of organic materials to act as charge carrier accumulatorsand not through the invasion of charge carriers. However, one problemwith this embodiment remains, which is that modulation transistor 4 canonly switch a small portion of the electrical power, since otherwise thepower supply for gate circuit 5 would collapse. Another problem is thatdiode 3 can utilize only half of the furnished electric power to supplythe RFID tag.

Simple switching variations according to the Philips publication, whichconsequently belong to prior art as well, consist in the integration oftransistor 4 into gate circuit 5 or in leaving it out completely, andthat the charge change at gate circuit 5 is directly utilized as amodulation signal. An example for this is a ring oscillator, which, asthe sole gate circuit, is connected to output side of the rectifier. Theoscillation causes periodic changes in power consumption, which can bedirectly read as charge modulation. Simple electronic watermarks can beproduced this way, which oscillate with a predetermined frequencydepending on the production of the ring oscillators.

FIG. 2 depicts an example of an embodiment:

One antenna 1 forms a ringing circuit in combination with one capacitor2, which is adapted to the transmitter frequency of a reading device. Anorganic diode 3 forms a rectifier in combination with one capacitor 8,which emits a calendered direct current. An organic modulationtransistor 4 is connected to the output side of the rectifier. Oneorganic capacitor 7 forms stored energy for a gate circuit 5, and theorganic diode 6 prevents said capacitor 7 from discharging via saidmodulation transistor 4. A gate circuit 8 embodies switching circuits,which read out from a storage and forward the information serially bitby bit to the output side. Said output side is connected with the gateof said modulation transistor 4. The speed of said gate circuit 5 isindependent from the transmitter frequency of said reading device.

FIG. 3 depicts a similar embodiment, however, rectifier diode 3 isreplaced by one bridge rectifier 3. Said rectifier comprises fourintegrated organic diodes.

If positive and negative voltage is required for the gate circuit, thiscan be accomplished by placing two rectifier units in parallel withsimple diodes or diode bridge circuits. Another possibility toaccomplish this is the installation of a bleeder after a simplerectifier circuit, for example, with resistors connected in series.

FIG. 4 again depicts the embodiment of a circuit, said circuitresembling that in FIGS. 2 and 3, however, all capacitors were replacedby one or two diodes each. Capacitor 2 is operated with alternatingcurrent and is therefore replaced by two diodes 2, 2′ placed in serieswith opposite poles. Said capacitors 7 and 8 are supplied with directcurrent and can therefore each be replaced by one diode (7, 8), which isswitched in non-conducting direction. This example of an embodiment cancompletely do with capacitors, which greatly simplifies production ofthe circuit.

The problem concerning the low (charge) modulation in the circuit issolved as follows: the gate circuit is supplied by stored energy (e.g.one organic capacitor 7), wherein one organic diode 6 prevents saidmodulation transistor 4 from draining energy from said storage (seeembodiment examples of FIGS. 2 through 4). Said energy storage ischarged, when said modulation transistor 4 is blocked. One problemhereby is that the energy storage is discharged, when the bit rate 1 1 11 . . . (or 0 0 0 0, depending on the coding of the gate) occurs. Thiscan be prevented, if gate circuit 5 of the RFID tag outputs theinformation bits in such a way that said modulation transistor 4 is shutoff for a very brief period of time in between bits. This can beaccomplished by not letting the energy storage fall below a certaincharge state irrespective of the bit rate. The main advantage of theenergy storage is attributable to the fact that said modulationtransistor 4 can switch 100% of the electrical power without thecollapse of the power supply to gate circuit 5.

The circuit solves an additional problem, which is the transmission ofhigher electrical power by utilizing organically integrable diodes,familiar from DE 100 44 842.9. This makes the use of a diode bridgecircuit for the purpose of rectifying possible. This allows transmissionof double the power, since both half-waves of the alternating currentcan be used (see embodiment examples of FIGS. 3 and 4). With theapproach known from prior art, which is the hybrid use of a silicondiode, such a bridge circuit can practically not be used, sinceproducing RFID tags with hybrid silicon diodes is too time-consuming andtoo expensive.

A particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention (FIG. 4) isbased on the fact that organic diodes in non-conducting direction behavelike capacitors. Two diodes placed in series with reversed polarityfurnish therefore capacitors that can be operated with alternatingcurrent. The advantage of this circuit is the greatly simplified designof polymer RFID tags, since capacitors, that is, several layers offunctional polymer and the appertaining process steps, can be dispensedwith.

FIG. 5 shows the circuit depicted in FIG. 4 divided into variouscomponents 1,2 and 3.

At first, there is unit 11 having a substrate 14 (flexible film withbarrier properties), which is provided with an electrically conductivetrack 1, functioning as an antenna, and with electrically conductivecontacts 15. Then, there is unit 12 containing all components,functioning as diode or capacitor (2, 3, 6, 7 and 8), as well as alsoelectrically conductible contacts 15. Finally, there is unit 13,combining all components 4, 5, which embody an organic transistor, aswell as also electrically conductive contacts 15. Hereby, only severalof such components must be based on organic materials, for example, anorganic chip can also be assembled with inorganic diodes or, antennaemay be made of metal or metallic compounds.

FIG. 6 shows how individual units 11, 12 and 13 can be beneficiallyassembled into one complete system.

Partial FIG. 6A shows unit 11 including antenna and contacts, partialFIGS. 6B and 6C depict a top view of units 12 and 13, in each case.Partial FIG. 6E depicts the assembled electronic unit and 6D shows theencapsulation film lying above. Finally, partial FIG. 6F depicts thecross-section of an electronic unit.

-   -   A) Using a suitable method, one antenna (1) as well as        electrical contacts (15) are arranged on a substrate film (14)        (e.g. through methods such as sputtering, vacuum deposition,        galvanic or currentless deposition, printing, micro-punching,        photolithography, etching or combinations). This embodies unit        11.    -   B) Unit 12, embodying, for example, diodes and capacitors as        described in FIG. 5, is produced using a suitable method, and        electrical contacts 15 are attached. One possibility to build        capacitors, for example, is to generate a conductive polymeric        region capable of metallization for the capacitor on the side of        the substrate, arranged in such a way as to create capacity by        means of said region and conductive regions of the transponder        antenna after assembling both films.    -   C) Unit 13, embodying, for example, organic transistors 4 and        integrated circuits 5 (produced, for example, by methods such as        printing, photolithography, spin coating and the like) is        produced using a suitable method, and electrical contacts 15 are        attached.    -   D) Depicts encapsulation film 16, which is said to have barrier        properties against environmental influence such as oxygen and/or        water vapor like substrate 14, and can be deposited on the other        units 11, 12 and 13 using suitable methods such as gluing or        laminating.    -   E) Depicts the arrangement of units 11, 12 and 13 in the        assembled state from above. Units 12 and 13 are arranged in such        a way that the appropriate electrical contacts 15, in each case,        are connected with one another.    -   F) Depicts the arrangement of E) aside; in addition, the        encapsulation film is also drawn in.

The individual components or units 11, 12 and/or 13 are thereforearranged on the substrate or on the encapsulation film and coated withan insulating layer for electrical insulation. The films having beenprepared in such a way are then adjusted and assembled into one completesystem such as, for example, a transponder.

This can be carried out, for example, through gluing or welding. At thesame time, the glue could also correspond to the aforementionedinsulating layer or, by adding an additional step in the process, itcould also be deposited, for example, through printing, spray coating orcrawling. After the adjustment, both films are joined and pressed(autoclave, vacuum press, or the like). In this connection, theapplication of the glue and/or the pressing process are designed toguarantee that the thickness of the glue on the edges of the two filmsis minimized, so that there is also a lateral barrier against gases andmoisture. At the same time, vias must be able to have electricalcontact. Under high temperature and/or ultraviolet light the glue isquenched.

Said assembly principle is also beneficial for many additional productscontaining polymer electronic components, for example,photovoltaic-sensor assemblies with integrated gating circuits or OLEDswith integrated drive circuits. In this case, for example, thephotovoltaic or OLED cells can be deposited on one film and the polymercircuits can be deposited on the other film. Of course, this way it isalso possible to combine organic components with conventional, inorganiccomponents.

FIG. 7 describes a different and beneficial way in which such componentscan be assembled to form a complete system. Again, the figure issubdivided into partial FIGS. 7A through 7E, which show the following:

-   -   A) Using a suitable method, one antenna 1 as well as electrical        contacts 15 are arranged on a substrate 14 (e.g. through methods        such as sputtering, vacuum deposition, galvanic or currentless        deposition, printing, micro-punching, photolithography, etching        or combinations). This embodies unit 11.    -   B) Unit 12, embodying, for example, diodes and capacitors as        described in FIG. 5, is produced using a suitable method, and        electrical contacts 15 are attached. Here, unit 12 is arranged        directly on the encapsulation film 14, which reduces the overall        number of units, thereby eliminating one step in the process.    -   C) Unit 13, embodying, for example, organic transistors and        integrated circuits (produced, for example, by methods such as        printing, photolithography, spin coating and the like) is        produced using a suitable method, and electrical contacts 15 are        attached.    -   E) Depicts the arrangement of units 11, 12 and 13 in the        assembled state from above. Units 12 and 13 are arranged in such        a way that the appropriate electrical contacts 15, in each case,        are connected with one another.    -   F) Depicts the arrangement from FIG. 7D aside.

The method to produce electronic units, as depicted in the figures, canbe employed not only for the production of RFID tags, rather, there aremany more application examples, which embody at least one organicelectronic unit and are arranged on a flexible substrate, such as, forexample:

-   -   (Organic) photovoltaic cells or suitable Sensor Arrays with        integrated electronics    -   Active organic displays (OLED or other displays)    -   Hand-held calculators consisting of several individual        components    -   “Wearable electronics.” Electronic units inserted in clothing    -   Intelligent paper: electronics inserted into paper or paper-like        material    -   Advertising labels with blinking and/or glowing and/or acoustic        display.

1. An organic electronic device comprising: a one piece flexible filmsubstrate; and at least three groups of electrical components eachattached directly to the substrate to thereby form the device: one groupof the components comprising essentially inorganic units; one group ofthe components comprising passive units; and one group of the componentscomprising active units; wherein the group comprising passive unitscontains no active units or no active components and the group of activeunits essentially contains organic field-effect transistors, wherein thethree groups comprise separate and discrete structures arranged to beassembled independently of one another, and are ohmically interconnectedvia electrically conductive tracks and contacts forming a circuit,through which the electrically conductive tracks run between passive andactive units from one group to another on the substrate.
 2. The organicelectronic device in accordance with claim 1 wherein at least one ofsaid electrically conductive tracks and contacts comprises anelectrically conductive adhesive.
 3. The organic device in accordancewith claim 1 further including an RFID tag, inside the RFID tag are asensor array and a photovoltaic cell coupled to the circuit, wherein thetag is arranged in a configuration comprising any one selected from thegroup consisting of wearable electronics, an active display, anelectronic bar code, an electronic watermark, an electronic stamp, a bagtag and an electronic ticket.
 4. The organic electronic device inaccordance with claim 1 wherein the circuit comprises the followingcomponents: an antenna , a first capacitor, a diode , and a modulationtransistor, all of which being electrically coupled to and in front ofan integrated circuit, in which a second and a third capacitor and anadditional diode are switched in the circuit to supply current to theintegrated circuit via the second capacitor, and where, at the sametime, the additional diode prevents said modulation transistor fromdepriving said second capacitor with energy.
 5. The organic device ofclaim 1 including an encapsulation film for encapsulating at least theinterconnected groups.
 6. A method to produce an organic electronicdevice comprising forming a circuit including forming and preassemblingas separate discrete units in the circuit arranged to be assembledindependently of one another at least one group of units with anantenna, a passive group of units and an active group of units, at leasta portion of one of the passive groups and active groups comprisingorganic units, and then assembling the circuit through electricalinterconnection of the individual groups of units directly onto a onepiece substrate film; including forming a capacitor on a flexiblesubstrate film or encapsulation film, the forming the capacitor stepcomprising: forming ohmically conductive regions on the antenna, andforming an ohmically conductive polymeric region on the substrate orencapsulation film for subsequent metallization to create the capacitorcomDrisincl said ohmically conductive polymeric region on the substrateor encaDsulation film and ohmically conductive regions on the antennaafter assembling the substrate film and active and passive groups.
 7. Anorganic electronic device comprising at least three groups ofcomponents: one group comprising essentially inorganic units, one groupof passive units, one group of active, units, wherein the groupcomprising passive units contains no active units or no activecomponents and the group of active units essentially contains at leastone organic field-effect transistor, wherein the three groups comprisestructures arranged to be assembled independently of one another,wherein said units are interconnected via ohmically conductiveelectrical tracks on a flexible film substrate forming a circuit, inwhich circuit the electrical tracks run between passive and active unitsfrom one group to another; and wherein the circuit comprises: anantenna, a first capacitor, a diode, and a modulation transistor, theforegoing being ohmically coupled to and in front of an integratedcircuit, in which a second and a third capacitor and an additional diodeare switched in the circuit to supply current to the integrated circuitvia the second capacitor, and where, at the same time, the additionaldiode prevents said modulation transistor from depriving said secondcapacitor with energy.
 8. A method to produce an organic electronicdevice comprising: forming a circuit including forming and preassemblingas separate discrete units in the circuit and arranged to be assembledindependently of one another at least one group of units with anantenna, a passive group of units and an active group of units, at leasta portion of one of the passive groups and active groups comprisingorganic units, and then assembling the circuit through electricalinterconnection of the individual groups of units directly on a onepiece flexible substrate film; and forming a capacitor on the flexiblesubstrate film, the forming the capacitor step comprising: formingohmically conductive regions on the antenna, and forming an ohmicallyconductive polymeric region on the substrate for subsequentmetallization to create the capacitor comprising said ohmicallyconductive polymeric region on the substrate and the ohmicallyconductive regions on the antenna after assembling the substrate filmand active and passive groups.
 9. A method of making an organicelectronic device comprising: forming a one piece flexible filmsubstrate; and forming at least three groups of electrical componentseach attached directly to the substrate to thereby form the device;forming one group of the components comprising essentially inorganicUnits; forming one group of the components comprising passive units; andforming one group of the components comprising active units; wherein theforming of the group comprising passive units contains no active unitsor no active components and forming the group of active unitsessentially contains organic field-effect transistors, wherein theforming the three groups forms the three groups to comprise separate anddiscrete structures arranged to be assembled independently of oneanother, and are ohmically interconnected via electrically conductivetracks and contacts forming a circuit, through which the electricallyconductive tracks run between passive and active units from one group toanother on the substrate.